Philadelphia Tea Party facts for kids
The Philadelphia Tea Party was an important event in late 1773. It happened shortly after the more famous Boston Tea Party. During this event, American colonists stopped a British ship carrying tea and made it sail back to Great Britain with all its cargo.
Why People Were Upset
Both the Philadelphia and Boston events happened because Americans were angry. They didn't like that Great Britain was taxing the American colonies. The colonists felt this was unfair because they had no say in the British Parliament. This idea was called "taxation without representation."
The tax on tea made colonists especially mad. For several years, they refused to buy English tea. Instead, merchants in cities like Philadelphia secretly brought in tea from The Netherlands. It was well known that Philadelphia merchants were very good at smuggling tea.
Because of this, the East India Company asked the British government for help. So, on May 10, 1773, the government passed the Tea Act. This new law allowed the East India Company to sell tea directly to the colonies. They didn't have to pay taxes on it in England. They only paid a much lower tax in America. This tax break made East India tea half the old price. It was even cheaper than tea in Great Britain! This meant the company could sell tea for less than colonial merchants and smugglers.
The Tea Act made colonists even angrier. They saw it as a trick. The British lowered the price of tea but didn't remove the tax. Colonial leaders, like Benjamin Franklin, believed Britain was trying to use cheap tea to make Americans forget their fight for freedom.
Getting Ready for the Tea Ship
By September 1773, news reached North America that East India Company tea ships were on their way. On October 16, Philadelphians held a big meeting. It took place at the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall.
Leaders like Dr. Benjamin Rush, Colonel William Bradford, Thomas Mifflin, and Dr. Thomas Cadwalader helped organize this meeting. They were also members of the Philadelphia Sons of Liberty. At the meeting, they agreed on eight important statements. One said: "That the duty imposed by Parliament upon tea landed in America is a tax on the Americans, or levying contributions on them without their consent." This meant they believed the tea tax was unfair because they didn't agree to it.
The most important statement they made was:
That the resolution lately entered into by the East India Company, to send out their tea to America subject to the payment of duties on its being landed here, is an open attempt to enforce the ministerial plan, and a violent attack upon the liberties of America.
This statement meant that sending taxed tea was a direct attack on American freedom.
These statements were printed in the Pennsylvania Gazette newspaper. They were the first public protest against importing taxed tea from England.
Three weeks later, people in Boston held their own meeting at Faneuil Hall. They said they agreed with the "judicious resolves" (wise decisions) made by the citizens of Philadelphia. Bostonians adopted the exact same statements that Philadelphians had made earlier. The Boston Tea Party then happened just a few weeks later, on December 16, 1773.
The Event Unfolds
On December 25, the British tea ship Polly sailed up the Delaware River. It reached Chester, Pennsylvania. Captain Ayres commanded the ship. It carried 697 chests of tea for a Philadelphia Quaker business called James & Drinker.
Several Philadelphia gentlemen met the Polly. They then brought Captain Ayres to the city. Two days later, on December 27, about 8,000 Philadelphians gathered in the State House yard. This was the largest crowd ever seen in the American colonies at that time. They decided that "the tea... shall not be landed." They also agreed that the tea should be refused. The ship should leave the Delaware River and Delaware Bay as soon as possible.
Captain Ayres was likely influenced by a strong warning. A group called the "Committee for Tarring and Feathering" had put out a flyer. It warned him clearly about what would happen if he tried to unload the tea. The flyer, dated November 27, said:
You are sent out on a diabolical Service; and if you are so foolish and obstinate as to complete your Voyage, by bringing your Ship to Anchor in this Port, you may run such a Gauntlet as will induce you, in your last Moments, most heartily to curse those who have made you the Dupe of their Avarice and Ambition.
What think you, Captain, of a Halter around your Neck—ten Gallons of liquid Tar decanted on your Pate—with the Feathers of a dozen wild Geese laid over that to enliven your Appearance?
Only think seriously of this—and fly to the Place from whence you came—fly without Hesitation—without the Formality of a Protest—and above all, Captain Ayres, let us advise you to fly without the wild Geese Feathers.
This scary message warned Captain Ayres of a very unpleasant punishment if he brought the tea ashore. It also warned river pilots that they would get the same treatment if they helped the Polly dock. Another flyer with this warning was issued on December 7. The people who were supposed to receive the tea were also warned of bad consequences if they accepted the shipment.
Captain Ayres was taken to the Arch Street Wharf. From there, he went back to his ship. He then got food and water for the Polly. He sailed it back to Britain, still carrying all its tea.
The "Philadelphia Tea Party" was quite peaceful. This might have been because of the strong Quaker influence in Philadelphia. No tea was destroyed, and no innocent merchants lost money. In fact, local merchants might have even helped Captain Ayres pay for his trip back to England.
What Happened Next
The Philadelphia Tea Party was calmer than Boston's. However, it was still one of the key events that led to the Continental Congress meeting. This important meeting took place at Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia the following September.
In 1809, Dr. Benjamin Rush wrote to John Adams. He reminded Adams of something he once said:
I once heard you say [that] the active business of the American Revolution began in Philadelphia in the act of her citizens in sending back the tea ship, and that Massachusetts would have received her portion of the tea had not our example encouraged her to expect union and support in destroying it... The flame kindled on that day [October 16, 1773] soon extended to Boston and gradually spread throughout the whole continent. It was the first throe of that convulsion which delivered Great Britain of the United States.
This means that John Adams believed Philadelphia's actions were the real start of the American Revolution. He thought Philadelphia's example encouraged Boston to destroy its tea.
Historically, Pennsylvania and Philadelphia were often seen as more cautious during the Revolutionary War than other colonies. But the Philadelphia Tea Party shows that Philadelphia's leaders played a very active role in starting the American Revolution. This role is often not fully recognized.
